Active air flap apparatus for vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a technology for reducing air resistance when a vehicle travels or cooling the inside of an engine room by being coupled to an air inlet of a grill. An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle includes a frame coupled to a rear surface of a grill, a lower flap member and an upper flap member each having rotatably fixed to the frame to open or close an air inlet disposed in the grill, and a link member connecting the lower flap member to an actuator to open or close the air inlet, in which upper ends of the lower flap member and the upper flap member are inclined in a rearward direction of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
 a frame coupled to a rear surface of a grill; 
 a lower flap member and an upper flap member each having rotatably fixed to the frame to open or close an air inlet disposed in the grill; and 
 a link member connecting the lower flap member to an actuator to open or close the air inlet, 
 wherein the lower flap member and the upper flap member have first and second inclined portions extending from one end portion of the lower flap member and one end portion of the upper flap member, respectively, in a rearward direction of the vehicle and having an acute angle with the respective one end portions, and 
 wherein the first and second inclined portions are inclined substantially at 45°, such that when the lower flap member and the upper flap member are opened substantially 45° from the air inlet, the first and second inclined portions become 0° with respect to the air inlet, to minimize air resistance applied to the lower flap member and the upper flap member during traveling of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes:
 two vertical frames disposed to be spaced from each other by a distance; and 
 two horizontal frames disposed on each of an upper end and a lower end of each of the two vertical frames to connect the two vertical frames to each other. 
 
     
     
       3. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the lower flap member opens or closes a lower region of the air inlet, and
 the upper flap member is disposed on an upper portion of the lower flap member to open or close an upper region of the air inlet. 
 
     
     
       4. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein a width of the lower flap member is greater than a width of the upper flap member, and
 the link member is disposed between the lower flap member and the upper flap member. 
 
     
     
       5. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the lower flap member includes:
 two first flap fixing portions rotatably fixed to the two vertical frames, respectively; and 
 a first flap guard portion disposed on front surfaces of the first flap fixing portions to connect the two first flap fixing portions to each other, and configured to open or close the air inlet according to rotation of the first flap fixing portions, and 
 the upper flap member includes: 
 two second flap fixing portions rotatably fixed to the two vertical frames, respectively; and 
 a second flap guard portion disposed on front surfaces of the second flap fixing portions to connect the two second flap fixing portions to each other, and configured to open or close the air inlet according to rotation of the second flap fixing portions. 
 
     
     
       6. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second inclined portions, inclined substantially at 45° in the rearward direction, extend from upper ends of the first flap guard portion and the second flap guard portion, respectively. 
     
     
       7. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the link member includes:
 a first connection bar of which a first end is connected to the actuator; and 
 a second connection bar having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end of the second connection bar, the intermediate portion being connected to a second end of the first connection bar, the first end of the second connection bar being connected to the lower flap member, and the second end of the second connection bar being connected to the upper flap member. 
 
     
     
       8. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein a first rotating shaft, rotatably coupling the first flap guard portion of the lower flap member to the frame, and a first coupling shaft, rotatably coupling the second connection bar to the lower flap member, protrude from each of the first flap fixing portions of the lower flap member,
 a second rotating shaft, rotatably coupling the second flap guard portion of the upper flap member to the frame, and a second coupling shaft, rotatably coupling the second connection bar to the upper flap member, protrude from each of the second flap fixing portions of the upper flap member, 
 a driving shaft, to which the actuator is coupled to pass through the two vertical frames, protrudes from the first end of the first connection bar, and 
 a connecting shaft, to which the intermediate portion of the second connection bar is rotatably coupled, protrudes from the second end of the first connection bar. 
 
     
     
       9. The active air flap apparatus for a vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator is disposed on an outer surface of one of the two vertical frames, and
 the driving shaft passes through the frame to be connected to the actuator.